Sponsored

If you have been following me on social media, you know of my recent diabetes diagnosis. These Tips for a Diabetes Care Plan come straight from my own experiences of the last month. While this is a sponsored blog post on behalf of Tai Pei Food, the opinions and thoughts I share below are entirely mine and from my own experience.

Tips for a Diabetes Care Plan

If you are here, then you too, have probably been diagnosed with diabetes or care for someone that has been diagnosed. With a family history of diabetes, it didn’t come as a surprise that I am diabetic now as well, however, I was shocked at how high my numbers were upon diagnosis. Immediately, my physician and I started working together to create a functional diabetes care plan I could follow. Below, are some tips that really have helped me over the last few weeks as I transition.

Be honest about your food intake and blood glucose readings with your doctor.

One of, if not the hardest part of being told you are diabetic, is realizing that some foods just aren’t healthy to eat anymore. Many people try to sneak those candies, cookies, and ice cream into their day and then tell their doctor they aren’t. It is imperative to be honest. Not only about what you are eating, but also about what your glucose readings are showing.

Your glucose readings can fluctuate for many reasons. Yes, your food choices are a big part, but also you have to consider factors like other medications, illness, dehydration, and exercise. Being honest helps your doctor know how to properly treat your diagnosis.

Prepare with foods you enjoy eating that offer balance.

One of the things that have been most important for me to remember is to eat foods that I enjoy that offer the balance my body needs. Many individuals think that starvation diets are the way to go, but this isn’t the case with diabetes. Yes, limiting a lot of extra sugar is important, but you also need to make sure you are eating at regular intervals. Going a long time without food can also create blood glucose triggers that do more harm than good.

While I regularly meal plan for our family, there are days when I need something that is easy and healthy that takes just a few minutes to prepare. Tai Pei Asian entrees are a favorite addition to my freezer. When they approached me to share their brand, I was excited because it is already a brand I enjoy and keep on hand. Tai Pei Asian cuisine entrees are made with clean ingredients. From the flavor-infused rice to the fact that there are no additives or artificial colors, I feel good about including them in my routine. Especially now that balanced meals are a must with my diabetes diagnosis.

With ten delicious entree recipes and multiple appetizers on the Tai Pei Asian cuisine lineup, I know I can always have something healthy and delicious in minutes. My personal favorite is the Chicken with String Beans and rice. It is a great balanced meal, and for added health, I can heat up extra vegetables to mix into it in just a few minutes. You can check the Tai Pei Website to find where they are available near you.

Meal plan for success

If you try to work without a plan, you will fail more often than you succeed. I create a weekly meal plan for our evening meals, then fill in gaps for breakfast and lunch. Some days we have leftovers for lunch, and other days I grab one of these Tai Pei Asian entrees as a fast and filling meal. This helps me stay on track and not go long without some food in my system.

Take your medications as prescribed.

We don’t like taking medications, but sometimes, they really are necessary. Watch your glucose levels regularly (2-4 times per day at first), and let your doctor know if you are having extreme fluctuations. Otherwise, appreciate the fact that your prescriptions are there to help your body create the insulin you need.

Take your diagnosis seriously.

Diabetes Mellitus is a very serious disease. While you may be able to put it into a remission of sorts by getting your daily glucose levels and A1C back to a regular level, you will always have to be watchful. Uncontrolled diabetes creates issues with your kidneys, nerves, and general healing ability of your body. There is potential for amputation, kidney disease, and even increased risk of heart failure. This is not something you can scoff at and ignore. The biggest part of your diabetes care plan is to get serious about the diagnosis and understand that is something you will need to be mindful of for a lifetime.

Make time for movement in your day

Exercise is a big part of overcoming and controlling a diabetes diagnosis. I am known to not enjoy exercise, but I do make time for movement. This can be three 10-minute breaks throughout the day to walk, dance, or do simple strength training in your home. Investing in a treadmill for walks at home is a great idea, but you can also look at joining a gym and or a fitness group and going out 3-4 times a week for an hour of exercise. The important thing is to get in a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise 3-4 times a week.

As you begin dealing with a new diabetes diagnosis, learn the best tips for your diabetes care plan. My tips are just the beginning of what you need to process both this diagnosis and the new life you will live. Using convenience foods that are healthy and delicious like Tai Pei, is just a part of the process to find success and better health.

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with the American Heart Association; all opinions are entirely my own.

As someone who has been open about her weight struggle, it’s no surprise that I would have a concern for heart health. In fact, if you have followed me for some time, you know that my family has been affected by heart disease. That’s why I was happy to share about the American Heart Association’s Support Network. I knew from personal experience that support is needed, and they offer great options

How to Cope with a Heart Disease Diagnosis

My father was diagnosed with heart disease a little over five years ago. During that same time, we realized that my grandfather also had genetic heart disease. Since heart issues are not always related to diet and exercise, it became even more important for me to take good care of my body. I knew I had a higher rate of heart disease happening to me simply due to poor genetics. Below are some tips for those who are struggling with a heart disease diagnosis.

Seek Immediate Support

One of the biggest things you will need with a heart disease diagnosis is support from those who have dealt with this same disease. Books, pamphlets, and webinars can give you a ton of information, but nothing can truly help like a human being that has been in your shoes. I found that The American Heart Association’s Support Network was a great online support system that helped when I couldn’t find local support.

Forums loaded with questions, tips, individuals with experience, are just what you need. The American Heart Association’s Support Network has an estimated 117,000 members. That means that just like you, there are literally thousands of people out there who have had struggles themselves or with loved ones dealing with cardiovascular disease.

This support is something you will desperately need, especially if you are in a caregiver roll. Not fully understanding how everything works in your diagnosis means you need extra help. The best part is there are over 25 forums that you can enjoy all for free. A simple sign up option makes this something anyone can manage. Plus, being an online support option means you can easily login at any time of day and find help. For many, being able to chat with someone in the middle of the night truly is key

Listen to your health care providers

Finding support in your health care team is also a necessity. It is perfectly okay to find a second opinion if you have concerns. In fact, I encourage seeking the absolute best care you can. However, you have to listen to their suggestions.

Sometimes that means complete lifestyle changes and dietary changes. Sometimes that means genetics require daily medication or even surgery. The medical field has done countless amounts of research and they do know what they are talking about. Trusting them is how you continue with coping after a heart disease diagnosis.

Get support for your family

One of the things that is most important is to make sure your immediate family is well supported. You need support, but so will they. This is a journey you won’t be making alone. Whether it is a stroke, heart attack, blockages, or even the beginnings of issues requiring a lifestyle change, it will change their lives as it does yours. Don’t be afraid to seek support from local groups as well as the American Heart Association’s Support Network for online support. It’s not just for you, but for everyone who may have to deal with the disease.

Accept it is a change but not the end of the world

A heart disease diagnosis is not the end of the world. In fact, for many patients, it is just the beginning of a healthier lifestyle. Whether your doctor says you need medication, surgery, or just lifestyle changes, you can and will be able to conquer this diagnosis.

For some of us, heart disease is going to be something that plagues us until the end of our lives, but that doesn’t mean that it has to make every day miserable. You can find peace and comfort in knowing you are not alone in this journey and don’t have to be!

This post was sponsored by Weight Watchers International, Inc.as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

We love having this Skinny Dill Chicken Salad Recipe on hand for a fast and low-point snack or meal. In fact, it’s one of my favorite ways to dress up chicken for an easy and delicious lunch. Since we are always looking for low point recipes that are also tasty and satisfying, this one is a must on our list. Add in some of our other favorite Weight Watchers® friendly products, and you can easily build a delicious day of meals and snacks without sacrificing flavor or points.

Skinny Dill Chicken Salad Recipe

Building meal times around zero point foods is so much easier now with the latest Weight Watchers plans. In fact, on a recent retreat I took with other bloggers, I found that bringing along a few of my favorite Weight Watchers endorsed products helped me stay on track so much easier!

For our skinny dill chicken salad, I brought my own Flatout® Flatbread to use instead of other crackers or bread. I knew the exact points to count, and loved how soft they are and easy to wrap. Having the wrap with a few grapes at lunch kept me full until snack later when I knew I could pop up some of the JOLLY TIME® Healthy Pop® Popcorn. I shared some of it with my fellow bloggers and felt like I didn’t have to be restricted or not part of the group having a snack. At only 3 SmartPoints® per serving and non-GMO as well as gluten-free, it was a hit with everyone!

Ingredients for Dill Chicken Salad Recipe:

1 cup chicken breast, diced

2 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

1 teaspoon dill pickle relish

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pinch salt (to taste)

Flatout® Flatbread

Directions for Dill Chicken Salad Recipe:

Mix all ingredients together except forFlatout® Flatbread.

Spread 1/4 cup mixture over each side of a Flatout® Flatbread and roll into a “wrap” shape.

Serve.

Makes 4 servings

Each wrap is 4 SmartPoints on Weight Watchers on the FreeStyle or Flex Plans

This is a great chicken salad recipe to make for a crowd and serve with various flavors of these great Flatout® Flatbread found at Walmart. Our local store carries the regular light Flatout® Flatbread as well as occasionally featuring different flavors, just make sure to check for that Weight Watchers logo for the endorsement! If you are unsure about where to find, you can check the Weight Watchers endorsed products locator.

These are big on flavor and high in protein and fiber. That added protein and fiber makes it easier for me to stay full longer, which curbs my need to snack or binge later in the day. Plus, all of them are between 2-4 SmartPoints per serving, so that makes it even better for fitting into a low daily point allowance. I found mine near the bakery and deli section at our store, and find that is the most common place to locate them in store.

Best Weight Watchers Desserts

I have to add a note to round out my day in food by saying that a great meal full of the zero SmartPoints® foods is made perfect with one of the Weight Watchers® Ice Cream Novelties. The classic Giant Fudge bar is easy to find at Walmart and other retailers, but they have an entire line of deliciously frozen novelties to suit your flavor preference. All are lower in SmartPoints® than regular ice cream or frozen novelties, and range from 2-4 SmartPoints® per serving. That means I can easily enjoy a sweet chocolate dessert every day if I have points left.

It’s easy to plan a low point day on the latest Weight Watchers plan without spending hours in the kitchen or sacrificing flavor. Using these Weight Watchers endorsed items makes it easier than ever to stay on track toward meeting your health goals.

One of our biggest struggles with homeschooling has been really getting the Wee Child to embrace language arts. That’s why I was so excited about Learning Language Arts with Literature using our sponsor BookShark. When I started exploring their options, I was intrigued by how they included reading so fluidly with language arts.

Homeschool Tips for Learning Language Arts with Literature

If you haven’t seen our other BookShark posts, make sure to check out why we love BookShark Homeschool Curriculum, and specifically our thoughts on why we love BookShark history curriculum. We have really enjoyed the process of getting to know how BookShark works for our family, and honestly, couldn’t be happier with the experience. As we delve into more each week, we are learning that the program truly is fluid and ideal for our son and his needs. Learning language arts with literature just makes sense to me, and BookShark has given us that opportunity.

Below are some of the things we love the most about the BookShark Language Arts program, and that I feel work the best to teach the Wee Child the basics of language without it feeling too much like “school” to him.

Use reading out loud to emphasize inflection

One of the biggest reasons we fell in love with BookShark was the reading out loud portions. I have always hated giving my son an assignment to be completed. I wanted to be able to be a part of the process and to read to him or read with him, but it hasn’t always been so easy. With BookShark, you are learning language arts with literature because as part of their history program, you are reading out loud to your child from some of the books assigned to their level. Reading out loud helps you to give proper inflection and pronunciation which will teach them to see those words and recognize them better later down the road. On some books, we have picked up a second copy so he can easily follow along with me.

Break down paragraphs for sentence structure

After we go through a chapter or passage of assigned reading, we work together to break down the paragraphs to recognize specifics. This includes looking at proper sentence structure and recognizing things like run-on sentences, etc. As BookShark Language Arts has various specific assigned items, this is part of it on some days, but not others.

I use this frequently because I feel like learning language arts with literature comes naturally when you just look at the individual sentences to see how they work together. The Wee Child can ask questions about why they used specific punctuation, and I can also make a note or point out different words used for descriptions, etc. when trying to form a paragraph.

Assign creative writing around topics of books

Our son really struggles with writing. Not only does he not enjoy handwriting anything (he prefers typing), he often gets hung up on creative writing assignments. Starting from scratch can be tough for him to manage. Being able to assign a topic for him to use to write is so much easier when we have a book or text to base it upon. I can tell him to write about a topic covered, a theme, or to notice the type of descriptions used within the passage.

Review parts of speech via passages from literature

While this may be something most cover in the early years of education, I find it is also a great way to use literature to reinforce those basics. We often take time to go over a sentence that is more complex to review parts of speech with our son. This is an ideal and easy way to enforce the basic educational concepts while not feeling like school.

As we have progressed through BookShark Level 6 Language Arts, I am impressed by how easy it is to follow along with the history program. The basis of the program is using the same literature books in the history program to build your language arts activities around. This is totally fluid and works perfectly for our son. We can read our daily assignments in history, and easily move right into using those same passages for the language arts assignments.

As a BookShark ambassador this year, I am really excited to share the Reasons We Love BookShark History Level 6! This curriculum is so comprehensive and thorough, while also fitting into our budget. It’s also a perfect fit for children in multiple grade levels, depending on their current knowledge.

7 Reasons We Love Bookshark History Level 6

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.

When we embarked on our journey using BookShark Secular Homeschool Curriculum this year, I was worried our son would struggle to stay interested. History has always been a struggle for him in the past. Not because he didn’t understand or couldn’t remember facts, but because he got bored very easily. Let’s face it, to a child, history just may not be so easy to find fun or entertaining. So, I was hoping to give a positive review of this curriculum but didn’t know for sure if I would be able to with our past struggles. Let me say, I am thrilled with how easy this has been!

Engaging method of learning

One of the best things about BookShark is that the curriculum is so engaging on many levels. Using fictional books as a base for keeping him excited about learning has been amazing. The Wee Child already loves to read, and he digs into stories all the time. In the last year alone, he has read over 75 books. Adding to that collection now, are some amazing historical fiction accounts of things that fit perfectly into this timeline.

One of the best parts is that he loves the reading sessions so much that he asks for that first in his school day. In fact, on a few occasions, we’ve gotten so interested in the story that we went past what was mandatory reading for that day. Now, that is engagement! We keep this shelf in our homeschool room with just the BookShark History Level 6 curriculum. It’s nice to have everything in one place, and honestly, I have caught him reading ahead more times than I can count. That’s a problem, I don’t mind having.

Can be self-paced if needed

With a 4-day lesson plan in BookShark, I can work with him at his own pace. Sometimes, we speed up and do more than one day of work, and others we only do the four lessons per week. Unlike most homeschool curriculum options, BookShark makes it easy to stay self-paced by giving that extra free day each week. We can skip a day, or work every day. It’s totally up to him and how he feels.

Daily lessons aren’t too long

Some individuals feel odd about not having a school day that starts at 8 am and ends at 3 pm. In our family, a short school day means we have plenty of time for going to movies, hanging out with friends, playing games, and even field trips. All of these things are a big part of the homeschool appeal for our family.

Short lessons pack in a ton of information for our son but don’t take all day. We can easily get all of his lessons for all subjects completed before lunch if we work consistently. Alternately, we can spread it out over the course of the day if we want to do extra. Both methods work great.

So many maps

I absolutely love seeing the visual of where something happened in the past. The maps of the BookShark History programs are amazing. Not only is there a current map, as shown in the picture below, but there are also great maps that show exactly what things looked like centuries before. We have been studying the Fertile Crescent, and he thinks it is amazing to see how different the countries are now than they were in the beginning.

Teaching him with maps has been a great way to really give him a visual understanding of where things are in the world. It has also helped him to understand more about how our world has changed due to political changes, religion, and even natural disasters and erosion shaping various continents.

Note: We use our guest room as a homeschool room as well, so the guest bed is often where he does lessons!

He is excited about exploring new things

Instead of dreading the annual lessons about specific common United States history facts, he is learning tons of new things. BookShark History Level 6 is focused on ancient history. It includes early history in Africa, the Middle East, Japan, and throughout Asia. This is an area of history, that while mentioned in his past school experience, has not been heavily studied.

Easy to add my own worksheets if desires

While there are various lessons and worksheets included in this curriculum, it is easy for me to add additional printed items as I desire. I love that I can include common Ancient history printables. It’s also great for using vocabulary words within the program as handwriting practice. That leads us to my last reason to love BookShark History Level 6.

Works alongside their Level 6 Language Arts

The best part, in my opinion, about the BookShark program, is that each of the subjects weaves together with the others. For instance, the BookShark History Level 6 coincides with the BookShark Language Arts Level 6 program. The reading we do in our history lessons is also part of the vocabulary and language lessons in the LA curriculum. This keeps his mind on one subject, which enforces the things he is learning in each category. By using the vocabulary from history to practice handwriting, learn parts of speech, or even recognize how to write descriptive paragraphs, we are enforcing these in all subjects. It’s a great way repetition helps children learn.

As you can tell, we are really huge fans of how much this has made history easier for our son to stay excited about. He is learning tons of valuable information about the history of our world, and he is excited in the process. The easy curriculum lesson plans make it simple for me to fit into my already busy routine. It’s definitely a win-win for this family!